Dog's Friend

2006-07-13 21:52

Once upon a time， there was a dog. He had no friends. While all the animals in the forest had their own friendly groups and herds， the dog had none. He lived all alone in the forest.

Everybody needs company of family and friends the dog also began to feel the same. So， one day he set out in search of a friend. While roaming around， his eye fell on a rabbit. He decided do friendship with the rabbit. The dog went up to the rabbit and asked， “Would you like to be my friend？ I am fed up with my lonely life. I feel bored. I can't live alone now.”

Hearing this， the rabbit became thoughtful. “There is no harm in being a friend to a dog. I think I would like his company，” rabbit thought.

He decided to accept dog's friendship. Both the dog and the rabbit spent the day together. At night， they went off to sleep under a tree.

The rabbit was dead asleep after a while but how could the dog do so？ It was just not in his nature to sleep soundly at night. He would wake up and bark on hearing the slightest noise.

Whenever the dog barked， the rabbit would get startled out of his sleep soundly at night. He would wake up and bark on hearing the slightest noise.

Whenever the dog barked， the rabbit would get startled out of sleep. When this happened several times at night， the rabbit was irritated.

“Why don't you sleep？ What if a wolf comes on hearing your barks？ He will finish both of us.”

Hearing this， the dog fell silent. But he became thoughtful. “This rabbit seems to be a cowardly animal. I can't be a friend with a coward. Why shouldn't I be friendly with a wolf？ He is， perhaps， a very brave animal.”

Having decided this， the dog left the rabbit who was still sleeping and set out in search of a wolf.

He happened to come across a wolf in the early hours of morning. He said to the wolf in an affectionate tone，“ Wolf Brother， I am looking for a friend. Will you be my friend？”

“A dog can bring me no harm. I won't mind having him as a friend.”

Thus， both the dog and the wolf became great chums.

At night both of them slept under a tree. The wolf fell asleep as soon as lay down. But how could the dog sleep？ As per his nature， he would wake up every now and then and bark.

The wolf felt disturbed. Scolding the dog， he howled， “Why are you making so much noise？ Don't you feel sleepy？ What if a bear comes here on hearing your noise？ He will gladly eat both us.”

The dog kept quiet on hearing this. “This wolf is also not very brave. He is scared of a bear. The bear， I suppose， is braver and more intelligent than the wolf. Then， I think， It is better to make the bear my friend，” decided the dog.

Leaving the sleeping wolf， the dog began to began to search for a bear. The next day， the dog met a bear. The dog talked to him politely and affectionately.

“Bear brother， I have been roaming in the forest all alone for many years now. I need a friend. I can't live alone. Would you like to be my friend？”

The bear thought， “A dog is weak animal. I should not have any problems in accepting him as my friend.”

he thus agreed to be the dog's friend. Both he and the dog ate together and roamed throughout the whole day. At night， they went off to sleep whole day. At night， they went off to sleep while but the dog was not.

He would begin to bark time and again. The bear could not sleep properly. In his irritation， he scolded the dog， “Be quiet. If a man hears your barks， he will come and kill both of us.”

The dog， then， left the sleeping bear and began to search for a man. He set out towards a village. On the way， he saw a wood-cutter. The dog went and stood in front of him. He began to wag his tail in a friendly manner.

The man looked at the dog for a while and then he moved forward. The dog began to follow him， soon， the woodcutter reached his home. The dog remained standing out in the courtyard. The woodcutter then gave the dog a chapatti.

The dog began to eat the chapatti with relish. At night the woodcutter slept on a cot in the verandah while the dog lay down nearby on the floor.

During the night， the dog woke up several times. He barked also. At one time， woodcutter woke up. “It seems the dog is still hungry”， thought he. “That is why he is not able to sleep. Anyway， it is good also. The thieves and dacoits will keep away from my house on hearing his barks”。

Then， the woodcutter lay down on his bed and fell into deep slumber. The dog kept barking. But neither the woodcutter nor any other member of his family woke up.

The dog thought， “This man is good. He is very kind and loving. I'm proud to have him as my friend. He is not frightened of a lion also”。

It is said that since that time， the dog is man's friend and man is dog's best friend.